Why Is It So Hard for Teens to Dress for the Weather?

Instead of buying a bunch of toys and electronics for their kids this Christmas, my sister and brother-in-law decided to peel back on presents and gear up on creating experiences for the family.

They didn't waste time, booking a cruise onboard Royal Caribbean. The cruise left yesterday out of Miami, Florida. I was flipping through the pictures my sister posted on her Facebook page when I almost choked on my Cheerios.

My 15-year-old nephew, the same kid that refuses to wear a winter jacket or pants to his high school in MAINE, is rocking a winter hat on a cruise ship in MIAMI.

How did we get here?

My 12-year-old son has a "no pants before Christmas break" policy. Granted, he's not alone. When I pick him up at school each afternoon, I watch boy after boy leaving the school in shorts (and usually slides).

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll freely admit that I got some looks on the quad when I'd wear shorts crossing the campus of Syracuse University, where it snowed on the daily every day between November 15 and March 15. The reason I'd wear shorts was that my 18-year-old brain thought it was so hot when I got into the buildings that it was worth being cold for the few minutes that it would take to walk from building to building.

I guess what I'm saying is that I can kind of understand wearing shorts in the middle of winter, but I just don't see the logic of wearing a winter hat on a cruise ship in Miami. My question is, why did he even bring it? Was he nervous about his ears getting cold in Cozumel?

Please pray for this child.